Bull elk in rain, Rocky Mountain National Park
Milner Pass on the Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park is a pretty reliable spot for elk. The pass is on the continental divide and just below the tree line, so the vegetation tends to be stunted. We were visiting during early summer - the snow had melted and everything looked green and new. We had been hiking on the west side of the park earlier, but heavy rainfall had driven us off the trail and we were on our way back to our campsite in Moraine Park. Just past Poudre Lake, we spotted a small bachelor herd with 3 bulls grazing along the edge of a clearing. It was still pouring down, so we watched them from our car for an hour or so, hoping they would venture closer to the road. When the bulls finally started moving towards us, there was hardly enough light left to shooting moving subjects. Since the bulls were quite impressive, we couldn't resist and set up our cameras anyway, wrapped in plastic bags. The elk weren't really cooperating and moved continuously, until finally something in the forest drew their attention and froze them in their tracks. Luckily, the largest bull -antlers still in velvet-was perfectly positioned in front of us, and nicely set off against the lush green background.
